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Manchester United have bounced back from their 3-1 defeat away to Brentford last Saturday by beating newly promoted Sunderland 2-0 at Old Trafford. Ruben Amorim needed those three points to alleviate the pressure that has been continuing to build over the last week.

The Red Devils took a lead early on, thanks to a sublime effort by Mason Mount. United’s number seven took his chance well, with a great first touch before firing into the back of the net to put his side ahead.

Just after the 30-minute mark, United doubled their advantage. This time, it was Benjamin Sesko who found the back of the net, getting onto the end of a flick on from a long throw. It means he’s now scored two goals in as many games for his new side.

United’s win also saw goalkeeper Senne Lammens, starting his first game since a deadline-day move, pull off several excellent saves. He kept Granit Xhaka out in the first half and made a late save with his feet to keep United’s clean sheet intact.

It was certainly a better day at the office for the Red Devils, with two of the standouts being Mount and Sesko.

Mount and Sesko’s stats vs. Sunderland

Since truly getting over his injury issues, Mount has been a key player under Amoirm. This term, he’s started the majority of games in the Premier League, with his performance against Sunderland showing exactly why United’s manager likes him so much.

His goal was very well-taken, with his perfect first touch controlling Bryan Mbeumo’s pass at knee height, before swivelling and firing past Robin Roefs.

It was an excellent team move for United, which consisted of 18 passes before Mount put the ball in the back of the net.

Sesko’s performance also stood out. His goal was simple, but encouraging for United fans. He occupied the six-yard box well and reacted quickly enough to turn the ball in. The two goals in as many games that he’s now scored will surely do wonders for his confidence.

Well, David McDonnell, chief Manchester United writer for The Manchester Evening News, seemed to think highly of Sesko’s efforts. He gave the Slovenian star a 7/10 for his afternoon’s work, describing his finish as a ‘classic poacher’s goal’.

As well as Mount and Sesko performed against Sunderland, there was someone who was arguably even better.

The standout United player vs. Sunderland

Aside from the two United goalscorers, there was a player who really stood out. Of course, Lammens made some decisive saves on debut, but even he was overshadowed by his Red Devils teammate.

It was a big day for former Sunderland loanee Amad, and he certainly delivered against the club where he truly made a name for himself a couple of seasons ago. Operating at right wing-back, the Ivorian star was a huge threat going forward.

The stats from the game certainly show how dangerous he was. Amad created three chances, more than both Mount and Sesko.

He also completed 100% of his passes and won eight ground duels with a 57% win rate. In contrast, United’s number seven won one out of five and their new striker just five out of 12.

Pass accuracy

100%

Passes completed

38/38

Touches

62

Touches in the opposition box

5

Ground duels won

8/14

Ball recoveries

6

Chances created

3

Indeed, McDonnell was hugely impressed with Amad’s contribution against the Black Cats. He gave the attacker a 7/10 rating, the same as Sesko, and said he was a ‘constant threat down the right side’ for United against his former club.

It was a fantastic performance from the 23-year-old. He shone at right wing-back last season, and whilst it has been a slow start to this campaign, that performance against his former club will surely do him the world of good.

Now, Amorim will be hoping Amad can build on that performance after the international break, when United face arch-rivals Liverpool.

Not just Hojlund: Man Utd must rue selling a CF who's outperforming Mbeumo

Manchester United may have made a mistake in allowing one former player to depart Old Trafford.

ByEthan Lamb Oct 3, 2025

With each passing season, or even each passing game, what it means to be Manchester United appears to be drifting away.

No longer a winning machine, the soul of the club has also been somewhat lost of late, amid the relentless redundancies that have been rolled out by the INEOS regime – all to help fund another collection of expensive player incomings.

On the pitch, Ruben Amorim’s persistence with his 3-4-2-1 system appears at odds with the great teams of the past, having slipped so far from the gung-ho, edge-of-your-seat style which was synonymous with Sir Alex Ferguson – and those before him.

A microcosm of the modern game, United’s most damning act has been the repeated selling of the family silver, with academy graduates the major victims in recent years.

Only last summer, the Red Devils shipped Scott McTominay off to Napoli amid the desire to bring in Manuel Ugarte in his place. One of that duo is now a Ballon d’Or nominee…

As for this summer, Alejandro Garnacho has been allowed to join the Chelsea circus, while fellow FA Cup final hero Kobbie Mainoo has been tipped to follow him out the exit door, amid his lack of regular game time.

A player whom Gary Neville suggested the club should be “building [the team] around”, Mainoo simply can’t be allowed to leave. Instead, a new addition is needed to help revive him.

Latest on Man Utd's midfield search

“Now I’m a Baleba…”

The songs had already been written; scarves were no doubt being sold. Alas, unless a drastic change occurs, United won’t be forking out the required £100m plus fee for Brighton and Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba, despite identifying the Cameroonian as a leading target.

With the Seagulls holding firm on their desire to keep hold of their 21-year-old sensation, Amorim’s search for an athletic number eight will have to shift its focus, with the centre of the park in particular need of reinforcement, amid the continued reliance on an ageing Casemiro.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

With that in mind, Caught Offside have reported that United are showing an interest in signing Atletico Madrid midfielder, Conor Gallagher, with the England international seemingly in line for a return to the Premier League.

As per the report, the 25-year-old is available heading into the final days of the window, with the LaLiga outfit slapping a £45m asking price on his head. That would ensure that an offer in that region would likely be accepted.

Unsurprisingly, Amorim and co aren’t alone in their interest, as Tottenham Hotspur are said to be the club who are ‘leading the race’ right now. The Lilywhites are even said to be ready to make a bid.

Why Conor Gallagher could be perfect for Mainoo

The key crux of the issue right now for young Mainoo is that Amorim has outlined that he views the 20-year-old as a competitor, rather than a partner, for Bruno Fernandes in central midfield, thus ensuring his route to game time is severely blocked.

That said, United’s chief creator may well still be better suited to a number ten berth, thus perhaps opening the door for Mainoo to nail down the number eight role instead, having previously thrived in a deeper position during his breakout 2023/24 season.

While last term was a tale of injuries and frustration, it’s easy to forget just what a revelation the Englishman was the year prior, having kicked things off with a Man of the Match display on his first Premier League start at Everton in November 2023.

A meteoric rise over the next few months saw the then-teenager net that Wembley winner, prior to starting every knockout game during England’s surge to the Euro 2024 final – having even started the showpiece defeat to Spain.

A “generational” talent, in the view of teammate Rasmus Hojlund, Mainoo possesses that unerring ability to simply breeze past opponents, with his poise and power having even led Anthony Elanga to describe him as having “similar attributes to Paul Pogba”.

Marcus Rashford

£42m

Scott McTominay

£42m

Kobbie Mainoo

£42m

Alejandro Garnacho

£38m

Anthony Elanga

£36m

Mason Greenwood

£34m

Alvaro Carreras

£30m

Dwight McNeil

£21m

Dean Henderson

£17m

Angel Gomes

£17m

Pogba’s time at United is enough for a 10,000-word piece on its own, but where the Frenchman truly shone was on the international stage, partnering a certain N’Golo Kante as Les Bleus claimed World Cup glory in 2018.

Like the mercurial Pogba, Mainoo is in need of that athletic workhorse alongside him – particularly so in this 3-4-2-1 system.

Enter, Gallagher.

Previously described as being like “Kante with goals” by talkSPORT pundit Tony Cascarino – having also been likened to his ex-Chelsea colleague by Thomas Tuchel – the Atleti star would represent the perfect foil for Mainoo in the engine room.

A pressing “monster” – as per Tom Dutton – the £45m man notably ranked in the top 4% of Champions League midfielders for interceptions per 90 last season, as per FBref, having been a relentless presence in Diego Simeone’s setup.

Also ranking in the top 1% for passes between 15 and 30 yards, the one-time Crystal Palace loanee plays a simple but effective game, ensuring he could win back possession, before picking out the likes of Mainoo ahead of him.

That’s not to say he’s simply the archetypal ‘piano carrier’, however, with Gallagher also offering a real threat in his own right in attack, having registered six goals and assists in LaLiga last term. His pass accuracy rate of 87%, as per Sofascore, is also nothing to be sniffed at.

There might be more technically proficient players on the market, but few boast such impressive physical traits, with the Cobham graduate perhaps representing the athletic solution that Amorim has been searching for all summer.

If a deal can be struck in the dying embers, it could well be just what is needed to get the best out of Mainoo again. Should Amorim fail to revive United’s golden boy, on his head be it…

Great news for Mainoo: Amorim's "magician" is now open to leaving Man Utd

Manchester United might lose one of their most important players before the transfer window closes.

ByAngus Sinclair Aug 30, 2025

Sunderland were reportedly denied the opportunity to add to their huge amount of signings at the end of the summer transfer window.

Geertruida completes Sunderland overhaul

An unforgettable summer is now over for the Black Cats, with Regis Le Bris bringing in endless new signings, from Granit Xhaka to Lutsharel Geertruida. The latter proved to be Sunderland’s last addition of the window, coming in on a season-long loan from Bundesliga side RB Leipzig, and he can’t wait to get started at the Stadium of Light.

“First of all, I want to thank God for this opportunity, and I also want to thank the Club for their trust in me. I’ve always wanted to play in the Premier League, and I’m so excited now that my opportunity is here.

“We are new to the league, so we need to fight, and I want to be a part of that. I’ve seen the recent games and think the group looks fresh and energetic. Now, I just want to be as important as possible for this Club. I’m ready, and I can’t wait to see the fans in the stadium.”

While Sunderland are now unable to sign players until January, barring free agents, a new update has now emerged regarding a potential late deal that almost happened.

Habib Diarra

Strasbourg

£27.1m

Brian Brobbey

Ajax

£21.6m

Simon Adingra

Brighton

£21m

Enzo Le Fee

Roma

£19.8m

Chemsdine Talbi

Club Brugge

£17.2m

Noah Sadiki

Union SG

£14.6m

Granit Xhaka

Bayer Leverkusen

£12.9m

Nordi Mukiele

Paris Saint-Germain

£10.3m

Omar Alderete

Getafe

£9.8m

Robin Roefs

NEC Nijmegen

£9m

Bertrand Traore

Ajax

£2.5m

Reinildo Mandava

Atletico Madrid

free transfer

Arthur Masuaku

Besiktas

free transfer

Sunderland denied chance to sign young prodigy

According to a fresh claim FiorentinaNews [via Sport Witness], Sunderland made “concrete moves” to sign Eddy Kouadio from Fiorentina before the transfer window slammed shut. The Serie A club prevented the move from going through, however, even pulling the plug on their move to sign Victor Lindelof from Manchester United to convince 19-year-old to stay put and be a key figure in Florence.

Not signing the 6 foot 3 Kouadio is a shame for Sunderland, considering the defender is a player with the potential to have a bright long-term future in the game.

The teenager has been capped by Italy at both Under-19 and Under-18 level, and while only one appearance in Serie A highlights that he is still raw, he could have grown into a key man at the Stadium of Light.

Sunderland had “maverick” talent on loan, now he's worth more than Brobbey

Sunderland once had this superb star on loan, who is now worth way more than new recruit Brian Brobbey.

ByKelan Sarson Sep 3, 2025

Still, this has been a wonderful summer for Sunderland, with the new faces coming in giving them as good a chance as possible of remaining in the Premier League this season.

Sunrisers Eastern Cape 177 for 2 (de Zorzi 78, J Hermann 69*) beat Paarl Royals 175 for 4 (R Hermann 81*, Pretorius 59) by eight wicketsSunrisers Eastern Cape will play in a third successive final after winning two matches in two days. They will take on first-time finalists MI Cape Town on Saturday, with memories of their wins over Pretoria Capitals (2023) and Durban’s Super Giants (2024) fresh in their minds. The defending champions have now won knockout matches both batting first and chasing on the Highveld, where MICT last played a week ago, and may fancy themselves as favourites.For now, they will celebrate another successful campaign, irrespective of whether they win the trophy or not. They have shown all the ingredients for a champion team, specifically that they have enough depth in the squad for sustained success.Less than 24 hours after beating Joburg Super Kings, SEC returned to Centurion with what looked like a completely different batting blueprint and new bowling plans.Liam Dawson, who has been both economical and attacking in the tournament so far, was only used when Ottneil Baartman had to leave the field with what looked like a hamstring concern and Aiden Markram bowled a full quota of four overs instead. That may be mostly to do with match-ups against a Paarl side filled with left-handers but also shows the versatility of SEC’s attack. Baartman will be a particular concern for them ahead of the final but he will have some time to assess the seriousness of the niggle.Importantly, their top-order, who were the least successful of the group stage, came together at the right time. David Bedingham and Tony de Zorzi posted 46 inside four overs against JSK in the Eliminator and de Zorzi’s 78 anchored their successful chase against Paarl in Qualifier 2.De Zorzi is a particularly interesting case because he is not really considered a T20 player. He was named as a replacement when allrounder Patrick Kruger was ruled out of the tournament with a calf injury and immediately displaced a misfiring Zak Crawley, who only contributed two scores over 20 in eight matches.Lhuan-dre Pretorius has been one of the finds of the tournament•Sportzpics

De Zorzi did not initially look the part with 24 runs in three innings and was doubting himself. “It is tough. We don’t play that many T20 games,” de Zorzi said in the post-match press conference. “I think you would obviously want to play a lot more and find your rhythm or your blueprint. Marco [Jansen] kept saying to me, ‘just keep your intent up’. There’s definitely times where you look in the mirror and you think, ‘Maybe I must put that [hopes of being a T20 player] in the cupboard.”Tonight was not one of those times. Against expectation, de Zorzi pulled off his highest score since his century in the 2018 Abu Dhabi T20. His was an innings that started riskily with a top-edge that fell safely and went for four, and an outside edge that evaded first slip, and then evolved spectacularly. There were drives and cuts but the shot of the night was when the ball became but a speck in the night sky as he pulled Mitch Owen high over deep square leg for six. That shot created distance between Sunrisers and the DLS par score as lightning strikes surrounded Centurion.The storm didn’t arrive but Paarl Royals were still blown away, and one family in particular will have felt they’d navigated changing winds. The Hermann brothers were on either side of this contest and their father, Marius, was in attendance in his custom-made half-and-half shirt and cap. One half is the pink of Paarl; the other is the orange of the Eastern Cape and on the back it says “Hermann supporter.”At least, he was rewarded for the surname. Rubin top-scored with 81 off 53 balls and was key to Paarl getting over 160 but Jordan was there at the end, when SEC won the match. By the end, Marius was in full SEC kit, which was as good a signal as any that Paarl’s race was run.Related

• Joe Root: 'T20 is about problem-solving, just on a much quicker scale than I've mostly been doing'

• 'Funny how the world works' – Life comes full circle for Wanderers' own Devon Conway

• Red-ball specialist Bedingham 'still trying to learn' his trade in T20s

• Sunrisers keep three-peat dream alive as Marco Jansen makes the difference again

• MICT into SA20 final as controversial no-ball call hurts Royals

In reality, it ended after their home stretch, where they became the first team to win all five of the games they’ve played, and when they lost Joe Root to national duty shortly after. “Him leaving left a little bit of a gap with that all-round role,” David Miller said. “That one or two overs of spin, or sometimes four and the kind of experience that he has batting through, or getting through the Powerplay, and just playing good cricket shots.”Paarl’s attack may also need a re-think after it was primarily set up for the slower, lower conditions of Boland Park and then struggled up-country. In particular, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, who was the leading wicket-taker at one stage of the tournament, has gone wicketless in the last three games, while Lungi Ngidi, their senior seamer, only played in five of their 12 games and no knockouts. Asked if they could have used him more, Miller concurred.”We definitely could have. It’s a very unfortunate situation… but the way the team is set up, there was only really one position between a couple of fast bowlers and, you know, we went with Kwena [Maphaka] with the extra pace and the left arm variation,” Miller said, also dousing any worries that Ngidi is not fully fit. “But Lungi has been bowling a lot outside of the games and really getting back to where he knows he can bowl. He’s been fantastic off the field for the squad.”But all is not lost for Paarl. Root’s opening partner, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, was the find of the tournament and is currently the leading run-scorer. Though he had a lean patch after his two big scores in his first three games, he struck a sweet 59 in the second qualifier and will be one to watch in future.”He’s unbelievable. He’s 18 years old so he’s got a lot of time,” Miller said. “He plays length really well, he’s got a really good head on him and he wants to do well so those are all very good things. He’s an incredible talent and I’m really looking forward to watching his progress and seeing what he can achieve.”Some will be saying the same about SEC as they wonder how much more they can win. They remain the only team to win the SA20 and their ability to step up when it matters means it would be difficult to bet against them.”They’re a team that never leaves you as an opposition, so you always have to be on your game. They’re clever cricketers and gutsy cricketers,” Miller said. “When you’ve got a squad like that and a never-say-die attitude, it often goes a long way in T20 cricket, especially in the field. They give absolutely everything. They’ve got a great thing going and I wish them all the very best.”

Steven Smith is “100%” certain he got his hand under the ball when he attempted to catch Virat Kohli at slip on the first day of the SCG Test, a decision that was referred to the TV umpire and eventually ruled not out.”No denying it whatsoever, 100%,” Smith told , former ICC umpire Simon Taufel said he could “certainly understand what the third umpire’s done there”.Washington Sundar walks off after being given out via DRS•Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

“I think you described it very well when you said that depending upon which side of the fence you sit on you could probably build a case for either decision to be given,” Taufel said. “Listening to Joel Wilson’s language there, where he said the fingers were underneath the ball and then he’s seen it roll on to the ground, by his own language he is telling us that he believes he’s seeing that ball on the ground.”So, there are two things that the TV umpire here is looking for. One is fingers underneath the ball. He was satisfied there. But then he believes through those pictures that he’s clearly seen the ball on the ground. And here’s the challenge, slowing it right down with slow-mo. Play it at real speed and it looks pretty good.”I can certainly understand what the third umpire’s done there. He believes he’s seen the ball on the ground and called it way he’s seen it. Normally the ICC protocol on fair catches is if you see the fingers underneath the ball, that’s good to maintain a fair catch. But here’s the problem: the on-field umpire’s no longer have the soft signal and make the decision, it’s purely in the hands of the television umpire now.”Having survived that close call first ball, Kohli ground out 17 off 69 deliveries, without finding the boundary, before edging Boland to debutant Beau Webster at third slip.Later in the day the third umpire was again in focus when Washington Sundar was given caught down the leg side off Pat Cummins on review. After many replays, Wilson determined there was a spike on real-time snicko (RTS) and no gap between ball and glove, seemingly much to the displeasure of Washington who stood for a moment before walking very slow off the ground.It followed the incident at the MCG where Yashasvi Jaiswal was given out, also pulling down the leg side, when RTS did not register anything but the third umpire saw a clear deflection off the glove.”There is not much to say because technology is one part which as a cricketer, you can’t control,” Rishabh Pant said of the latest decision against Washington.”But I feel whatever decision we make on the field, it has to stay with the on-field umpire. That’s the only thing, unless it’s so conclusive to change the decision, I think we should stay with the on-field umpire. The rest is umpire’s decision, at the end of the day. I can’t challenge that every day but technology can be a little better, I guess.”

The home side were facing the prospect of a third defeat before Cartwright and Ashton Agar iced the chase

AAP13-Oct-2024Western Australia’s One-Day Cup title defence is back on track after Hilton Cartwright’s late heroics lifted them to a four-wicket victory over Queensland at the WACA Ground.Chasing 301, WA were looking shaky after stumbling to 349 for 6 in the 41st over of Sunday’s match But Cartwright’s unbeaten 66 off 49 balls, which featured five fours and three sixes, helped get WA over the line with six deliveries to spare.Ashton Agar (21* off 27) produced an important cameo in what turned out to be a match-winning 62-run partnership with Cartwright.WA’s bid for a fourth consecutive one-day title was on thin ice following losses to South Australia and NSW. Given each team plays only seven regular-season matches, a loss to Queensland could have ended WA’s hopes of reaching the March 1 final.But Cartwright’s knock has kept WA’s hopes of a four-peat alive, with Queensland (two losses, one no-result) facing an uphill battle to reach the decider.WA paceman Jhye Richardson was named player of the match after taking 3-36 in 9.3 overs in Queensland’s total of 300.Queensland were in all sorts of trouble at 51 for 4 in the 12th over following the departures of Ben McDermott, Matt Renshaw, Marnus Labuschagne and Jack Clayton.Usman Khawaja struck eight fours and a six as he combined with Lachlan Hearne to steady the ship.Bowling all-rounder Michael Neser then provided the late fireworks, cracking six fours and two sixes to give Queensland’s total a significant boost.Richardson was the pick of WA’s attack, bowling McDermott in the third over with a delivery that swung back in wildly. His dismissal of the dangerous Neser later in the innings ensured Queensland’s score wasn’t bigger.Cameron Bancroft entered the match desperate for runs after posting twin ducks in the recent Sheffield Shield draw with Queensland. Neser claimed Bancroft’s wicket in both Shield innings, but the WA opener managed to get through the early stages on Sunday before being trapped lbw by Labuschagne for 33.Sam Whiteman’s half-century ensured WA got off to a solid start, and Cooper Connolly’s 39 off 42 balls lifted WA closer to victory, before Cartwright and Agar finished the job.

أعلنت رابطة الأندية المحترفة المصرية، عن أفضل لاعب في مباراة الأهلي وسيراميكا كليوباترا، التي جمعت بينهما اليوم، ضمن منافسات بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

والتقى الأهلي مع سيراميكا كليوباترا، على أرضية استاد القاهرة، في إطار لقاءات الجولة السابعة من الدوري المصري.

واستطاع الأهلي تحقيق الفوز بهدف دون رد، سجله محمود حسن تريزيجيه في الدقيقة 26، بعدما مراوغة رائعة داخل منطقة الجزاء ثم سدد كرة قوية R2 سكنت شباك محمد بسام.

طالع أيضاً.. فيديو | الأهلي يعود للانتصارات بهدف “باهت” أمام سيراميكا كليوباترا في الدوري

واختارت رابطة الأندية، صاحب هدف فوز الأهلي محمود تريزيجيه كأفضل لاعب في اللقاء، نظرًا للمجهود الذي قدمه مع فريقه في مباراة اليوم ومساهمته في الفوز.

بتلك النتيجة، يحتل سيراميكا كليوباترا المركز الثامن في جدول ترتيب الدوري المصري برصيد 10 نقاط، بينما يتواجد الأهلي بالمركز العاشر، ولديه 9 نقاط.

The start of a new season is fast approaching, and Celtic continue to be busy in the transfer market.

Already this summer, the Hoops have made five first-team signings, with Kieran Tierney’s return certainly the most exciting, while Benjamin Nygren, Callum Osmand, Hayato Inamura and Ross Doohan have all also arrived.

Meanwhile, on the pitch, Brendan Rodgers’ side have won both pre-season friendlies to date, beating Queens Park 1-0 at Lesser Hampden last Friday, before a 2-1 victory over Cork City at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Tuesday; young defender Colby Donovan the late match-winner in Ireland.

Now, Rodgers will be determined to add more attacking firepower to his ranks, so could the Celts sign a familiar face to Scottish Premiership viewers?

Celtic targeting more attackers

Right now, with Jota sidelined due to an anterior cruciate ligament injury long-term, and Nicolas Kühn on his way to Como, Celtic are short of top-class attacking options.

Daizen Maeda

Celtic

51

33

12

Adam Idah

Celtic

53

20

1

Yang Hyun-Jun

Celtic

34

6

6

James Forrest

Celtic

33

1

7

Johnny Kenny

Celtic & Shamrock Rovers

28

11

4

Luis Palma

Celtic & Olympiacos

24

1

1

Benjamin Nygren

Nordsjælland

32

16

4

Marco Tilio

Melbourne City

20

5

4

Callum Osmand

Fulham U21s

22

11

4

As the table outlines, while Daizen Maeda was on fire and Adam Idah did reach 20 goals across all competitions, new signing Benjamin Nygren is the only player who was prolific at an elite senior level last season, hence why reinforcements are required.

Thus, reports in Spain claim that Celtic are interested in signing former Aberdeen striker Bojan Miovski.

The North Macedonia centre-forward departed the Dons 12 months ago to join La Liga side Girona for a reported £6.8m fee, but scored just four goals in 22 appearances for the Catalan club, hence why Blanquivermells are looking to sell.

The aforementioned report claims that Bundesliga duo Freiburg and newly-promoted Hamburg have also ‘expressed interest’, with Girona hoping to recoup the money invested last summer.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

So, could the former Aberdeen fans’ favourite be back in Scottish football, but this time bedecked in green and white hoops?

Why Bojan Miovski would be an upgrade on Adam Idah

During his time at Pittodrie, Miovski certainly impressed, with his performances described by journalist Bence Bocsák as “quality”, thereby included in the PFA Scotland Team of the Year, which is always an impressive feat for any non-Old Firm player.

Then teammate Nicky Devlin claimed that Miovski was the best striker in the Premiership, while Scott Bradley of Breaking the Lines labelled him a ‘clinical finisher’. Journalist Josh Bunting even described him as the “complete number nine”.

So, let’s assess how his statistics compare to Idah, who is yet to really nail down the starting centre-forward spot at Celtic, despite being signed for £9m following a loan spell, and the obvious need for a striker after Kyōgo Furuhashi was sold.

Appearances

98

72

Minutes

7,597

3,181

Goals

44

29

Premiership goals

32

21

European goals

4

3

Assists

7

3

All statistics below are on a per-90 basis.

Shots

2.3

3.6

Shots on target

1.3

2.3

Chances Created

0.8

1

Touches

28.1

36.8

Touches in the box

4.9

7.8

As the table outlines, Miovski’s raw statistics, goals and assists, are more impressive, albeit he has played more than twice as many minutes in Scottish football than Idah.

Nevertheless, the bottom section of statistics underlines why this is such a noteworthy achievement by the North Macedonia, scoring that many goals for a team who finished third and then seventh, thereby taking significantly fewer shots and enjoying substantially fewer touches than Idah.

Thus, with the service that a Celtic striker enjoys, just imagine how good Miovski’s goal-scoring statistics would be.

Thus, given that he knows the league, so would take little to acclimatise, if Celtic are searching for a guaranteed goalscorer right now, he might just be their man.

Better signing than Nygren: Celtic close in on deal for "fantastic" talent

Even after Benjamin Nygren’s arrival, Celtic still require more attacking reinforcements, so are they close to signing a “fantastic” new striker?

1 ByBen Gray Jul 10, 2025

Thomas Frank has a massive job on his hands at Tottenham Hotspur for the 25/26 campaign.

On top of having to navigate the Champions League, the Danish coach will be expected to lead the team to a far better finish in the Premier League, as well as making a proper dent in the domestic cup competitions.

To ensure the former Brentford boss has the best chance of making his first season at the club a successful one, Daniel Levy and Co need to do everything they can to bring in the right players this summer.

One of the names that has been in the news a lot lately is Antoine Semenyo, although, based on recent reports, Spurs could go after someone who’d be an even better signing.

Spurs moving after Premier League star

Semenyo has seemingly caught the attention of several Premier League sides this summer, from Manchester United to Arsenal, but the links to Spurs in recent weeks appear to be some of the strongest.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

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It’s not hard to understand why so many teams would be interested in the Bournemouth star, as he’s proven himself in the league and managed to rack up a pretty impressive haul of 20 goal involvements in 42 appearances this season.

Yet, with reports suggesting he would cost the North Londoners upwards of £70m, the club has also been looking for other exciting options, such as players like Eberechi Eze.

At least that’s according to a recent report from journalist Sebastien Vidal, who has claimed that Spurs are “plotting a move for” the Crystal Palace star.

Vidal mentions that Semenyo and Bryan Mbeumo are also on the North Londoners’ shortlist, as Frank is “pushing for a top winger this summer.”

While a price isn’t mentioned in the story, it has been widely reported this year that the Englishman has a release clause worth around £68m in his contract with the Eagles.

It wouldn’t be a cheap transfer, but given Eze’s experience and ability, he’d be a better signing than Semenyo.

Why Eze would be a better signing than Semenyo

So then, the first reason, and it’s a big one, why Eze would be a better signing than Semenyo is down to his raw output.

For example, the Cherries star’s 20 goal involvements came in 42 appearances, totalling 3562 minutes, which means that he was able to maintain an average of a goal involvement every 2.1 games, or every 178.1 minutes.

In contrast, the Eagles “magician,” as dubbed by pundit Micah Richards, scored his 14 goals and provided his 11 assists in 43 appearances, totalling just 3303 minutes, which comes out to a far more impressive average of a goal involvement every 1.72 games, or every 132.12 minutes.

Moreover, the Englishman has proven that he can cope in the most intense and pressurised moments, as he scored in the semi-final FA Cup against Aston Villa and then scored the winning goal against Manchester City in the final.

On top of that, while the 26-year-old primarily played in attacking midfield this season, he’s more than capable of playing out wide as well, which somewhat helps to minimise Semenmyo’s advantage in being able to play on both sides of the pitch.

Finally, comparing the pairs’ underlying numbers only further helps to highlight how much more impactful the former QPR star could be in North London.

While there are some metrics in which he comes out second best, there are far more in which the England international is clearly superior, including things like key passes, successful take-ons and shot-creating actions, which paints the picture of an all-action attack-focused player who’s just as capable starting attacks as he is finishing them.

Eze vs Semenyo

Statistics per 90

Eze

Semenyo

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.53

0.44

Non-Penalty G+As

0.68

0.46

Progressive Passes

3.37

3.06

Progressive Carries

2.40

3.93

Shots

3.25

3.49

Goals per Shot

0.12

0.09

Shots on Target

0.92

1.11

Goals per Shot on Target

0.41

0.27

Passing Accuracy

74.2%

73.4%

Key Passes

2.01

1.29

Passes into the Final Third

1.70

1.38

Passes into the Penalty Area

1.35

1.26

Shot-Creating Actions

4.69

3.71

Goal-Creating Actions

0.35

0.37

Successful Take-Ons

2.33

1.94

Ball Recoveries

5.07

4.44

Carries

29.2

27.5

All Stats via FBref for the 24/25 Season

Ultimately, while Semenyo would be a good signing for Spurs, Eze would undoubtedly be an even better one, and for potentially £2m less, one that feels like a total no-brainer.

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Posts ByEthan Lamb Jun 23, 2025

After a very memorable trophy presentation day, Celtic’s summer plans are in full swing.

Saturday’s clash was essentially a dead-rubber for the Parkhead side, with the title having already been secured weeks ago, but those in attendance will never forget James Forrest’s 94th minute equaliser, a sweet strike that means the one club man has now scored in 16 successive seasons for Celtic; it was celebrated like the winner in a Champions League final.

Brendan Rodgers’ side will conclude the campaign with Saturday’s Scottish Cup Final, firm favourites to beat Aberdeen at Hampden, having already smashed the Dons on three occasions this season, 6-0 in November, 5-1 in February and then 5-1 again last mid-week up at Pittodrie.

Now, are the four-in-a-row Scottish Premiership champions about to get even stronger, as they seek to sign one of Europe’s most highly-rated young strikers?

Celtic's continued striker search

According to a report from the Daily Record, Celtic are still very much interested in signing long-term target Mathias Kvistgaarden, after the 23-year-old confirmed he is set to leave Brøndby this summer.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Speaking to the media in his homeland, the player noted: “I think I’m ready. I’ve made my mark at Brondby and in the Superliga, so I’m ready to take the next step.”

Back in January, Football Insider claimed that the Celts had an official bid rejected for Kvistgaarden, who is reportedly valued at £13.5m, with a report in Denmark noting that Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt have also ‘intensified’ their interest.

Could Kvistgaarden be Celtic's new Larsson?

Kvistgaarden took his tally to 23 goals for the season against Midtjylland on Monday night, making him the second-highest goalscorer in the Danish Superligaen this season, with just one round of fixtures to go.

So, could we see him in a Celtic jersey come next season?

Well, Kyōgo Furuhashi departed Celtic in January, joining Stade Rennais for a reported fee of £10m in January and no direct replacement was signed.

Adam Idah, who joined permanently from Norwich last summer, did step up, scoring 20 goals in all competitions, while player of the season Daizen Maeda was often deployed down the middle too, netting 33 times in total and picking up all the individual awards.

Nevertheless, a Kyōgo replacement is needed given that, according to Graeme Macpherson of the Scotsman, the Japanese star is Celtic’s best striker since Henrik Larsson, so let’s assess that assertion.

Selected Celtic strikers (1997-present)
Players	Games	Goals	Old Firm goals	Mins per goal
Kyōgo	165	85	8	126
Édouard	179	87	7	140
Dembélé	94	51	7	121
Griffiths	261	123	3	118
Hooper	138	82	5	136
McDonald	121	59	4	159
Hartson	198	105	6	143
Sutton	196	84	6	198
Larsson	292	224	15	113
All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt

The table underlines Kyōgo’s impressive statistics, even when compared to some of the greatest Celtic strikers of the modern era, most notably the king of kings himself, Larsson.

But how do the Japanese forward’s statistics compare to those of Kvistgaarden?

Kvistgaarden at Brøndby vs Kyōgo at Celtic
Statistics	Kvistgaarden	Kyōgo
Appearances	102	101
Minutes	6,323	10,741
Goals	43	85
Mins per goal	164	126
Assists	17	19
Shots on target %	48.8%	45.5%
Shots per 90	3.14	3.34
Shots on target per 90	1.53	1.52
Big chances missed	32	69
Note: Kvistgaarden’s statistics are 2022/23-present.
Statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt, FBref.com and SofaScore

As the table outlines, Kvistgaarden’s numbers do compare favourably, having taken his game to another level this season, underlined by his very impressive figure of a goal every 107 minutes.

Chris Beaumont of Total Football Analysis describes him as a ‘quick and agile striker’, with Scout António Mango asserting that he is “absolutely sensational”.

Meantime, Farzam Abolhosseini of Tipsbladet labels him “magical”, while Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout believes that the 23-year-old is “only getting better”.

Thus, it is clear that the young Dane would be an astonishingly excellent signing for Celtic, if they’re able to get the deal over the line of course, boasting the potential to be the Hoops’ best centre-forward since a certain fellow-Scandinavian striker.

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